Okra

Okra seems to be the Cinderella among Vegetables. To bring this vegetable to its glamorous fulfilment, only the very small tender young pods are used. These are left with the stem end uncut and are cooked for 5–6 minutes in rapidly boiling salted water. Serve them arranged like flowers on individual small plates, with small bowls of spicy Moroccan tomato sauce set in the centre of each plate. The okra is lifted by the stem end, dipped in the hot spicy sauce and eaten with gusto. The flavour is unique. Try this, too, with tiny aubergines (eggplant), cut like flowers and served as above.